Wheeled animated bird on a cord



June 3, 1952 P. BROWN 2,599,227

VW-IEELED ANIMATED BIRD ON A CORD Filed June 26, 1948 v M V Gav/ IN VEN TOR.

rection.

center of gravity and to maintain the toy on a level keel as it rides along the cord 24.

The journal pin I8 is suitably secured to the roller for rotation therewith and extends laterally through the side plates M to provide the paired lateral eccentric wing actuating projections 36, disposed angularly to the journal axis l8. Each wing actuating projection extends through and rides in thelongitudinal guide slot 37 provided therefor between the longitudinal guide bar 38 and the under side of its respective pivotally mounted wing 39, so as to impart an oscillating or flapping wing motion upon rotation of the roller 20. Each guide bar 38 is spaced from the under surface of its respective wing 39 sufliciently to provide the slot 3'! and is secured at its upturned forward and rearward ends 40 and 4| respectively to the wing 39.

The wings 39 are preferably fabricated from suitable light weight material and are each essentially the same in construction and operation, being obviously mirror images of each other. Accordingly, a discussion of one wing 39. Will suflice for both. The longitudinally extending rounded base or shoulder portion 42 of each wing 39 pivotally abuts the adjacent side plate l4 and provides a longitudinal outward'opening channel or hook means 43. Articulation between the rounded base 42 and its respective side plate I4 is permitted by an elastic band 44 which resiliently and detachably holds each wing 39 pivotally against the side plates l4. The band 44 extends under tension along the channel 43 of each wing 39 and around the upper portions of the paired side plates [4. The forward andrearward edges of the latter are spaced at 46 and 48 respectively from the adjacent edges of the notch l2 to receive the band 44, and are notched at 50 and 52 respectively to retain the band 44 in position.

In operation of the present invention, one end of the cord 24 may be anchored at.a suitable height, as for example upon the wall of a room, and the opposite end grasped in the hand with the cord 24 inclined from the point of anchorage. With the bird positioned near the point of anchorage it'will be apparent that it will travel down the cord 24 by gravity, with the wheel 20in rolling engagement with the cord 24. As the wheel 28 rotates during the travel of the bird down the cord 24, the angular wing actuating projections 36 will revolve eccentrically around the axis of rotation of the pin l8 and will oscillate or flap the wings 39 in a vertical di- By suitably determining the tension in the cord 24, the operator of the toy may apply a braking or holding action to the roller 20 so as to arrest its travel down the cord .24 or hold it in any given fixed position thereon. Upon removing somewhat the tension on the cord 24, the 'toy will be released to travel down the cord by the force of gravity. Although the present invention is illustrated herein by means of a bird-type toy having the traction wheel 20 adapted to roll along a cord 24, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the spirit of the present invention may be embodied in other'types of toys. For example, the toy may be readily modified to .adapt' the wheel 20 for rolling along a fioor or rail orother supporting surface rather than the cord 24 if desired. a

Iclaim: 1. A mechanical toy comprising a body, oppositely extending wings pivotally mounted on the body, a traction wheel, axle means journalled on said body and secured to said wheel for rotation therewith, means for oscillating said wings upon rotation of said wheel including oblique extensions of said axle means engaging said wings, and means provided by said body for guiding a cord upon which said wheel has rolling engagement.

2. A mechanical toy comprising a body, oppositely' extending wings pivotally mounted on the body, a traction wheel, axle means journalled on said body and secured to said wheel for rotation therewith, means for oscillating said wings upon rotation of said wheel including oblique extensions of said axle means engaging said wings.

3. A mechanical toy comprising a body, oppositely extending wings pivotally mounted on the body, said wings having guide slotted appendages on the underside thereof, a traction wheel, axle means rotatable with said wheel and journalled on said body, and lateral extensions of said axle means movable within said guide slots eccentrically of said axle means for oscillation of the wingsupon rotation of said wheel.

4. A mechanical toy comprising a body, oppositely extending wings projecting from the sides of the body, yieldable means for pivotally mounting said wings on the body, a traction wheel, and axle means mounting said traction wheel within a recess formed in said body, said axle means having lateral extensions projecting at an angle to the axis of rotation of the traction wheel, each of said lateral extensions projecting beyond the sides of the body and engageable with a Wing to oscillate the same upon rotation of the traction wheel.

5. A mechanical toy comprising a body, oppo-- sitely extending wings terminating adjacent said body in hook portions, an elastic band anchored in said hook portion and embracing a portion of said body to hold said wings yieldingly in pivotal relationto said body, a traction wheel, and axle meansvmo-unting said traction wheel Within a recess formed in said body, said axle means having lateralextensions projecting at an angle to the axis of rotation of the traction wheel, each of said lateral extensions projecting beyond the sides of the body and engageable with a wing to oscillate the same upon rotation of the traction wheel.

6. A mechanical toy comprising a body, a cord threaded through the body for supporting the toy in simulated flight, oppositely extending wings projecting from the sides of the body, yieldable means for pivotally mounting said wings on the body, a traction wheel having rolling engagementwith the cord, and axle-means mounting said traction wheel within a recess formed in said body, said axle means having lateral extensions projecting at an angle to the axis of rotation of the traction wheel, each of said lateral extensions projecting beyond the sides of the body and enga geable with a wing to oscillate the same upon rotation of the traction wheel.

7. A mechanical toy comprising a body, a cord 7 threaded through'the body for supporting thetoy in simulated flight, oppositely extending wings terminating adjacent said body in hook portions, an elastic band anchored in said hook portions and embracing a portion of said body to hold said wings yieldingly in pivotal relation to said body, a traction wheel having rolling engagement with the cord, and axle means mounting said traction .wheel withina recess formed in said body, said axle means having lateral extensions projecting at an angle to the axis of rotation of the traction 4 wheel, each of said lateral extensionsprojecting beyond the sides of the body and engageable with a wing to oscillate the same upon rotation of the traction wheel.

8. A mechanical toy comprising a body, a cord threaded through the body for supporting the toy in simulated flight, oppositely extending wings projecting from the sides of the body, yieldable means for pivotally mounting said wings on the body, a traction wheel having rolling engagement with the cord, and axle means mounting said traction wheel within a recess formed in said body, said axle means having lateral extensions projecting at an angle to the axis of rotation of the traction wheel, each of said lateral extensions projecting beyond the sides of the body and engageable with a wing to oscillate the same upon rotation of the traction wheel, and longitudinally spaced cord guide means provided by said body before and behind said wheel and disposed so that a straight line passing therebetween lies above the point of contact between the wheel and the cord.

PAUL L. BROWN.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the the of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 530,138 Thorn Dec. 4, 1894 547,553 Keller Oct. 8, 1895 559,536 Nesbit May 5, 1896 10 964,803 Olson July 19, 1910 1,373,168 Buchanan Mar. 29, 1921 1,778,699 Welch Oct. 14, 1930 1,920,746 Guillow Aug. 1, 1933 15 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 338,622 Great Britain Nov. 27, 1930 549,474 France Nov. 21, 1922 

